Warriors - Burnt Skies

Chapter 12

Nightpaw, Blizzardpaw, Emberpaw and Dawnpaw looked back at the two cats before them. A smoky black she cat towered over the small flame point tom beside her, and their expressions were mournful. Shadow's was less mournful, but there was still a glimmer of sadness behind her steely gaze.

"See you whenever you decide to come back for Spirit then," Shadow meowed, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"I suppose so," Nightpaw replied. "I'm sure you'll look after him well."

"Ok then, bye Shadow and Spirit," Blizzardpaw said before turning around and starting to walk along the quiet Thunderpath next to them. They had gotten up just before dawn, so there were very few Twolegs and monsters about.

"Bye," Nightpaw, Emberpaw and Dawnpaw said in unison.

"Bye," Spirit squeaked quietly. "Good luck on your trip."

"May StarClan light your path," Shadow dipped her dark head.

"And yours," Nightpaw mewed before heading after Blizzardpaw.

The black she cat didn't turn back, but she imagined Shadow and Spirit behind them, watching as they made their way into the distance. She couldn't bear to see the small tom kit watching his carers essentially abandon him on the edge of a Thunderpath.

"It had to be done," Dawnpaw murmured from beside her, though it sounded more like the brown she cat was trying to convince herself more than Nightpaw.

"It did," Nightpaw agreed, flicking her tail and catching up with Blizzardpaw.

The light grey tom was walking alongside the Thunderpath, occasionally glancing warily in its direction.

"Do you actually know which direction we need to go?" Nightpaw asked.

"No, of course I don't, I have been practically immobile for the past quarter moon," Blizzardpaw growled. "Didn't it cross your mind that you should probably figure this out before we left?"

Nightpaw breathed in deeply and let it out, trying not to rise to Blizzardpaw. She tried to remind herself that sometimes he wasn't such a pain in the tail to be around, and he could be semi enjoyable company. She gritted her teeth before responding.

"No, it didn't, because I have been so preoccupied with collecting scraps, looking after Spirit, keeping guard and collecting cobwebs for you. So have Emberpaw and Dawnpaw. So can't you just be nice for once in your life and not be so annoying to everyone," Nightpaw meowed. It had came out way harsher than she intended and she realised that it was probably a good thing she had tried to calm herself before responding because StarClan knows what would have came out of her mouth if she didn't.

The grey tabby tom had been looking at her through narrowed eyes the entire time but his gaze softened slightly after she finishes speaking. But not in a sympathetic way. In a sad way.

"I get it," Blizzardpaw meowed quietly. "You don't like me and only stick around because you're forced to."

Nightpaw opened her mouth to speak, but Blizzardpaw had already picked up the pace and left her behind. The grey tabby was now several fox lengths in front of her. Then he turned around and started heading her direction again, his icy blue gaze never leaving her eyes.

"Blizzardpaw, I-" the black she cat started speaking but was cut off.

"I'm going," Blizzardpaw stated bluntly.

"Going? Where?" Nightpaw asked, becoming increasingly panicked. There was a high chance that Blizzardpaw was thinking of leaving them for good.

"Somewhere else. Maybe the mountains. Maybe home if the Twolegs haven't completely destroyed it," his voice cracked on the last few words. "And before you ask, I'm going now."